Electronic Privacy Information Center
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
EPIC'S MISSION IS TO SECURE THE FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT TO PRIVACY IN THE DIGITAL AGE FOR ALL PEOPLE THROUGH ADVOCACY, RESEARCH, AND LITIGATION.
- Income
- $3.0 million
- Spending
- $3.4 million
- Spent on programs
- 85%
- Reserves
- 0.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 95%
- Employees
- 23
- Volunteers
- 0
- Highest pay
- $246,694, president
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 44 out of 100. Higher than 8% of charities in its peer group (civil rights, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
4 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 0.8 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 27% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 11% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 21% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1585% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 10 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 59% of charities in its peer group (civil rights, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2512 of 13 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (3)
- $1.4 million spent. EPIC WORKS TO SECURE THE COLLECTIVE HUMAN RIGHT TO PRIVACY IN THE DIGITAL AGE. WE SEEK TO ESTABLISH COMPREHENSIVE PROTECTIONS AGAINST THE UNCONSTRAINED COMMERCIAL EXTRACTION OF PERSONAL DATA BECAUSE PRIVACY IS ESSENTIAL TO A FUNCTIONING DEMOCRACY. EPIC ALSO PROMOTES ROBUST LIMITS ON AND OVERSIGHT OF SURVEILLANCE SYSTEMS. AND WE ADVOCATE FOR A HUMAN-RIGHTS BASED APPROACH TO AI POLICY THAT ENSURES NEW TECHNOLOGIES ARE SUBJECT TO DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE. OUR WORK TAKES THE FORM OF EDUCATION, ADVOCACY, AND LITIGATION CARRIED OUT IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST.
- $457,465 spent. PLATFORM GOVERNANCE: INTERNET PLATFORMS HAVE BECOME DOMINANT PLAYERS IN THE DIGITAL ECONOMY AND CONTINUE TO ACCUMULATE POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC POWER ON AN INTERNATIONAL SCALE. IMPORTANT SOCIETAL VALUES, SUCH AS DEMOCRATIC LEGITIMACY AND EQUALITY, AND IMPORTANT PERSONAL PROTECTIONS, SUCH AS CIVIL RIGHTS, PRIVACY, AND PERSONAL SAFETY, ALL DEPEND ON THE ABILITY TO REGULATE THESE PLATFORM COMPANIES AND HOLD THEM TO ACCOUNT WHEN THEY VIOLATE THE LAW. THIS TEAM WORKS AT THE INTERSECTION OF PRIVACY, PLATFORM ACCOUNTABILITY, AND LAW THROUGH RESEARCH, ADVOCACY, AND LITIGATION.
- $1.0 million spent. CONSUMER PRIVACY: WE ARE IN A DATA PRIVACY CRISIS. POWERFUL TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES HAVE BUILT SYSTEMS THAT INVADE OUR PRIVATE LIVES, SPY ON OUR FAMILIES, AND GATHER THE MOST INTIMATE DETAILS ABOUT US FOR PROFIT. THROUGH A VAST, OPAQUE SYSTEM OF DATABASES AND ALGORITHMS, WE ARE PROFILED AND SORTED INTO WINNERS AND LOSERS BASED ON DATA ABOUT OUR HEALTH, FINANCES, LOCATION, GENDER, RACE, AND OTHER PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS AND HABITS. EPIC'S TEAM ADVOCATES FOR COMPREHENSIVE PRIVACY STANDARDS TO LIMIT COMMERCIAL SURVEILLANCE AND ESTABLISH MEANINGFUL RESTRICTIONS ON PERSONAL DATA COLLECTION AND USE, SUPPORTS FEDERAL AND STATE POLICYMAKERS AND REGULATORS ADVANCING PRIVACY RIGHTS AND DATA MINIMIZATION STANDARDS.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated November 6, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since August 2000.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated November 4, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.